Events in May 2008
Apr 1-Nov 1 Bat Watching
Congress Avenue Bridge
512-416-5700
www.batcon.org
Did you know the largest urban bat colony in the world is in downtown Austin? Just before sunset, 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats fly from the Congress Avenue Bridge to find their evening meal, making them one of the most unique Austin experiences available.
Peak watching times are August-September when the baby bats are old enough to fly. The bats return to Mexico each year when the weather turns cold.
Apr 3-May 10 Nothing Lasts Forever - New work by Yoon Cho
Women and Their Work: 1710 Lavaca Street
Katherine McQueen
512-477-1064
www.womenandtheirwork.org
Women & Their Work proudly presents Nothing Lasts Forever, a solo multimedia exhibition by Austin-based artist Yoon Cho. Recently named by the Austin Museum of Art as one of Austin's "20 to Watch," Cho uses video and digital photography to examine the ways we constantly create and re-create our identities. Utilizing blurring, pattern overlay, image insertion and other digital techniques to manipulate photography and video installations, Cho trains a sly and poignant lens on the ephemeral and ever-shifting nature of human persona. If life is a stage, Cho's body of work investigates how we get into character.
Apr 3-May 11 Zach Scott Presents: Doubt
Zach Scott Theater, 1510 Toomey Road
512-476-0594
www.zachscott.com
The Zach Scott Theater presents "Doubt," a fast-paced game of cat and mouse that is ignited when evidence of a priest’s wrongdoing comes to light.
At a Bronx Catholic school in 1964, Sister Aloysius, a strict school principal, faces the decision of a lifetime: Does she openly accuse a priest and give voice to her fear of his actions, or does she bury her suspicions and leave room for doubt? This intense and personal power struggle between Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn ultimately calls into question both faith and justice in the shadow of doubt.
“A superb new drama... an inspired study in moral uncertainty with the compelling structure of an old-fashioned detective drama.” –The New York Times.
The show features Jamie Goodwin of ZACH's Present Laughter, Janelle Buchanan of ZACH's Omnium-Gatherum, as well as ZACH newcomers Angela Rawna and Sydney Andrews.
Doubt is directed by Steven Dietz, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and 4 Tony Awards!
Tickets are $34 and are available online.
Apr 4-May 16 IMAX Presents: Shine A Light
Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 Congress Avenue
512-936-8746
www.TheStoryofTexas.com
Shine a Light: The IMAX Experience documents an astounding stage performance by what is indisputably the world's greatest rock and roll band, filmed by America's preeminent director, and an all-star crew of the motion picture industry's leading cinematographers.
Academy Award®-winning director Martin Scorsese's concert documentary will show the world the Rolling Stones as they've never seen before. Filmed at the famed Beacon Theatre in New York City in Fall 2006, Scorsese assembled a legendary team of cinematographers to capture the raw energy of the legendary band.
Unlike Scorsese's previous big-event music films (he worked as an editor on Woodstock and shot the definitive documentary on The Band for The Last Waltz), Shine a Light focuses on the music, dispensing with the talking head device and opting instead for spare pops of vintage newsreel and TV footage as the only non-performance-based commentary on the band.
Apr 6-May 10 Flying Theater Machine: Story Sports
2:00 PM - 2:00 PM
The Hideout, 617 Congress
Jessica Arjet
512-971-3311
www.flyingtheatermachine.com
Two teams of improvisers compete to tell the best stories and you help to decide who wins!
This hilarious improv set is perfect for kids ages 4-10.
Apr 9-May 15 Retablos: Miracles on the Border
Mexic-Arte Museum, 419 Congress Avenue
512-480-9373
www.mexic-artemuseum.org
Presented in conjunction with the Mexican Center of the Institute of Latin American Art and the Harrington Fellows Program at the University of Texas, the exhibition will open on Wednesday, April 9, 2008, and run through May 15.
Many of the retablos featured in the exhibition are in the book Miracles on the Border by Jorge Durand, one of the foremost specialists on migration.
Retablos are small paintings on metal or wood that venerate God and the Saints – the exhibition features contemporary “miracles” about the migration experience across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Apr 12-May 12 Reji Thomas: Unshattered
7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
New East Gallery, 1601 E. 5th, Ste. 106
512-477-9438
www.diversearts.org
DiverseArts is pleased to announce the opening of our next exhibit, "Reji Thomas: Unshattered,"
A working artist in Austin for over 20 years, Reji Thomas has operated a successful glass art production business that has produced pieces for dignitaries and collectors around the globe. Thomas’ commercial work and her fine art production vividly illustrate her mastery of varied materials, methods and technology.
Her skill for sand blasting, hot glass casting, and welding produces glass pieces that distinguish her from her contemporaries—the work has a signature style, a “look.” Her abstract paintings exude emotion and empathy, and with the current work she magnifies this in over-sized pieces on canvas and wood. You can sample Reji’s work at amyholloway.com/reji/.
Please join us for the opening reception and take advantage of the chance to ask the artist questions about her methods and ideology.
The exhibit runs through May.
Apr 19-May 24 Installation 816: A Dialogue in an Urban Flux Space
816 Congress Ave.
brandon@wyattbrand.com
View works that will be installed at 816 Congress (by artists Barbara Strasen, Kathryn Henneman and Vasa Mihich) alongside work from emerging Austin artists Michelle Mayer, William Hundley, Sean Ripple and Michelle Brandt in the transitional, or ‘urban flux,’ space on a stripped 10,402 square foot unit on the 15th floor.
Installation 816 will attempt to create a dialog on how growth and development are shaping our downtown.
Also on view will be renderings for the 816 Congress renovation and art installation. Open for public viewing weekdays 7 a.m.-5 p.m. and weekends 12-5 p.m.
A public opening reception will be held on April 18 from 4-9 p.m. with free parking in the garage. Curated by Christina Hiett.
Apr 22-May 1 CapMetro Public Meetings/Hearing for August 2008 Service Changes (Fall)
Capital Metro Main Administration Building - 2910 East 5th St.
planning@capmetro.org
512-474-1200
Capital Metro Planning Staff will be available to speak directly with citizens regarding route or schedule issues. Citizens are encouraged to attend any of the following meetings or to contact Capital Metro by e-mail at planning@capmetro.org or by calling 474-1200.
Public Meetings:
- Tuesday, April 22, 2008 (Capital Metro Downtown Customer Service Center - 323 Congress Ave.), 11:30am - 1pm
- Tuesday, April 22, 2008 (Capital Metro¿s Downtown Customer Service Center - 323 Congress Ave.), 5- 6:30pm
- Thursday, April 24 (University of Texas Campus Bellmont Hall Building - BEL, Room 328, 2100 San Jacinto (San Jacinto / 21st Street), 5:30 - 7:30pm
Public Hearing: Monday, April 28, 2008 (Capital Metro Main Administration Building - 2910 East 5th St.), 5:00pm
Post Public Hearing Meeting: Thursday, May 1, 2008 (Capital Metro Downtown Customer Service Center - 323 Congress Ave.), 11:30am - 1pm
Apr 22-Jun 8 The University of Texas Faculty Triennial
Blanton Museum of Art, Congress & MLK
(512) 471-7324
www.blantonmuseum.org
At The University of Texas at Austin are many respected artists of national and international reputation, who are successfully creating their own bodies of work while teaching and supervising the work of the next generation of artists. The Blanton’s popular faculty show will resume in the new museum on a triennial basis. A guest curator to be announced will select some of the finest works from among the faculty’s broad range of artistic production. This exhibition is coordinated by the Blanton Museum of Art. Coordinated by Kelly Baum, assistant curator of American and contemporary
Apr 22-Jun 22 The Language of Prints
Blanton Museum of Art, Congress & MLK
(512) 471-7324
www.blantonmuseum.org
This exhibition is planned to coincide with the 2008 annual meeting of the Print Council of America, to be hosted by the Blanton in May 2008. This meeting, the first in Texas in the 50 years of the Council, will focus on the Blanton’s print collection, widely recognized as one of the largest and most distinctive collections of prints on any university campus. The exhibition will include 100-120 of the museum’s finest prints, exemplifying multiple major techniques of printmaking and exploring the ways in which these fascinating works on paper reflect the culture of the time. This exhibition is organized by the Blanton Museum of Art. Curator: Jonathan Bober, curator of prints, drawings, and European paintings
Apr 23-May 21 Free Flamenco Classes with Ballet Austin
6:30 PM - 7:45 PM
Butler Dance Education Center and Community School, 501 West 3rd Street
512-476-9051 ext. 126
www.balletaustin.org
In celebration of the spirit of Spain and Ballet Austin's inaugural production of Don Quixote at the Long Center for the Performing Arts, the Butler Community School presents free flamenco classes.
Classes will be offered each Wednesday for five weeks and will be taught by Elisa Rodriguez. Elisa lived and danced in Seville, Spain for seven years.
The Flamenco class focuses on various elements of technique such as basic posture, braceo (arms), Maneo (hand movements), taconeo (footwork) and compas (rhythms).
Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of Flamenco starting with Sevillanas, a famous dance that is performed typically in Seville, and the Tango Flamenco.
Discover the rich history, the fiery movements and complex rhythms that make Flamenco such an incredible dance form!
Apr 29-May 1 Family Music Festival
Long Center, 701 W. Riverside
512-476-6064
www.austinsymphony.org
The Austin Symphony is proud to present a music festival featuring the biggest names in children's entertainment!
Tuesday, April 29, 6 p.m.
Joe McDermott with special guest Joe Scruggs
Wednesday, April 30, 6 p.m.
Trout Fishing in America
Thursday, May 1, 6 p.m.
The Biscuit Brothers
Hear Austin's cherished family entertainers for the first time in the new Long Center for the Performing Arts!
Tickets are $8 for kids and $12 for adults.
Feb 1-Nov 2 Before Freedom: Texas Slave Narratives
Texas Capitol Visitors Center, 112 E. 11th St.
512-305-8400
www.TexasCapitolVisitorsCenter.com
The Capitol Visitors Center's newest exhibit kicks during Black History Month and features a selection of personal interviews conducted during the 1930s and 1940s with former slaves.
In addition to the first-hand accounts, the exhibit includes photographs, dramatic readings, artifacts and audio recordings.
Feb 5-Aug 3 On the Road with the Beats
Harry Ransom Center - 21st and Guadalupe
512-232-3666
www.hrc.utexas.edu
This exhibition traces the travels of Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs and their friends across America and the globe. Manuscripts, books, photographs and visual art tell the story of the Beat Generation and the literary and social revolution they inspired. the scroll manuscript of Kerouac's On the Road will be on display March 7 - June 1.
Feb 7-May 21 West African dance classes
7:15 PM
Ballet Austin, 501 West 3rd Street
Vicki Parsons
512-476-9051
http://www.balletaustin.org
West African dance classes with live drum music!
FUN! A GREAT WORKOUT! MEET NEW PEOPLE! Develops strength, aerobic stamina, coordination, flexibility, and rhythmic awareness.
A central trait of African dance is that it is polycentric, meaning that the body is not treated as a "stiff" unit but is segmented into several centers of movement (shoulders, chest, pelvis, arms, legs etc.) that may be moved according to different rhythmical components of the music. The result is more complex movements "inside" the body, as opposed to the movement through space of the whole body that plays the most important role in many European dance styles.
The drumbeat provides the rhythm that holds the dancers together.
Feb 8-May 15 La Caja Museo Contemporáneo de Arte (The Box Contemporary Museum of Art)
419 Congress Avenue
512-480-9373
www.mexic-artemuseum.org
Now showing at the Mexic-Arte Museum, La Caja Museo Contemporáneo de Arte (The Box Contemporary Museum of Art), curated by Martha Papadimitriou, is a museum inside a museum.
La Caja is made up of two parts: the Huge and the Small. Featuring prominent contemporary artists from Mexico, The Huge is an exhibition of twenty-one “regular” size paintings and sculptures displayed in a traditional museum gallery, and the Small is a miniature contemporary museum. The exhibition continues through May 15, 2008.
As part of La Caja, the Latino Art Wing in the back gallery – an invitational exhibit – is featuring miniature artworks by artists living in Texas, running through April 13.
Feb 11-May 24 Hip Hop Classes at Ballet Austin
8:30 PM
Ballet Austin, 501 West 3rd Street
Vicki Parsons
512 476-9051
http://www.balletaustin.org
Dance your way to a hot summer body at Ballet Austin!
Hip Hop is a contemporary, fun and energetic combination of street dance and jazz. No experience is necessary to join classes, meaning anyone can come for the fun, fitness and to meet new friends.
Punch cards are available for classes, ranging from $60 for 4 classes to $170 for 16 classes. Unlimited membership is also available.
Feb 12-May 24 Broadway Fit Class
12:00 PM
Ballet Austin, 501 West 3rd Street
Vicki Parsons
512-476-9051
http://www.balletaustin.org
Get fit while having fun at Ballet Austin! Hour-long lunchtime classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays make Broadway Fit a great way to shape up before summer.
Broadway Fit is taught by theatre dance instructors and Broadway veterans Danny Herman and Rocker Verastique. The focus of this fast-paced, hour-long class is to have fun and burn calories... all to a Broadway beat!
Starting with a warm-up that stretches and tones the body, this class develops proper body alignment, flexibility, balance and strength.
Exercises follow that isolate the different parts of the body and develop increasingly complex coordination of the arms, head and legs. Longer combinations that emphasize expressiveness in lyrical and dynamic Broadway styles are given in the center and across the floor.
Feb 16-May 11 New Art in Austin: 20 to Watch
Austin Museum of Art, 823 Congress Avenue
512.495.9224
http://www.amoa.org
New Art in Austin: 20 to Watch celebrates the innovations and explorations of twenty of Austin's emerging contemporary visual artists.
Artists in the 2008 triennial exhibition put their individual marks upon such classic themes of identity, personal narrative, found objects, subversion of authority, displacement, and the mechanical, digital, and natural worlds. After appearing at AMOA, the exhibition will travel to other venues throughout the state.
Feb 22-Feb 9 People's Gallery at Austin City Hall
City Hall - 301 W. 2nd
www.ci.austin.tx.us/cityhall/aipp.htm
The City of Austin Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services Office's Cultural Arts Division presents an annual exhibit to encourage public dialogue, understanding and enjoyment of visual art. The gallery showcases visual art that reflects the artistic excellence and cultural diversity of Austin and promotes the City’s cultural and economic initiatives. A listing all of the art pieces and artists is available on the second floor of City Hall.
Jan 19-Sep 14 Play it By Ear at the Austin Children's Museum
Austin Children's Museum - 201 Colorado Street
512-472-2499
www.austinkids.org
Listen … can you hear it? Bam, whiz and pow! At the Play it By Ear exhibit, visitors can touch, experiment and interact with works of sound art, create their own works of sound art and explore the science of hearing. Engaging children through the fascinating world of sounds, this exhibit demonstrates the scientific properties of sound production and reception through art and hands-on activities.
Mar 3-May 29 Pilates Boot Camp
6:00 AM
Ballet Austin, 501 West 3rd Street
Vicki Parsons
512-476-9051 ext. 126
www.balletaustin.org
Just in time for summer, Ballet Austin offers an intensive Pilates boot camp to help shape and tone bodies for swimsuit season.
No prior pilates experience is needed for boot camp. The classes offer interval training indoors and outdoors, with a combination of high intensity cardiovascular workouts mixed with resistance and flexibility training: Running, jumping, stair climbing, core straightening and the use of props.
The cost is $390 for all 26 classes, which are held Mondays and Thursdays.
Mar 7-Jun 1 "On the Road" Scroll
The Ransom Center, 21st and Guadalupe Streets
512-471-8944
www.hrc.utexas.edu
The original scroll manuscript of On the Road by Jack Kerouac stops at the Ransom Center. The museum has the massive scroll temporarily to highlight its "On the Road with the Beats" exhibit.
May 1 West End Gallery Night: 1st Thursday
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Haven Gallery, 1122 W. 6th St.
Haven Gallery
512-477-2700
www.havengalleryaustin.com
May’s featured space for West End Gallery Night: 1st Thursday is Haven Gallery.
Located in the historic West End district, Haven Gallery carries an eclectic mix of two- and three- dimensional fine art and fine craft, including blown glass, metal, wood, mixed media, paintings, ceramics and artisan jewelry.
In addition to showcasing local artists, owner Mindi Partee travels extensively, bringing extraordinary, unique artwork from all over the world home to Austin. In addition to this gallery, Gallery Night includes seven other galleries in the West End - all are within walking distance and ample parking is available.
May 1 KGSR's Unplugged at the Grove: The South Austin Jug Band
7:00 PM
Shady Grove, 1624 Barton Springs Road
512-474-9991
www.theshadygrove.com
The South Austin Jug Band and Jason Eady play during the 2008 season of KGSR's Unplugged at the Grove.
Join us every Thursday night, for a free show starting at 8 p.m.! Enjoy great food and beverages ($2.00 Zeigenbocks and $3.00 pints of Bud Light). Get there early for a good parking spot - put a KGSR sticker on your car for KGSR CD Singles.
The outdoor, all-ages music series runs each Thursday at 8 p.m. starting April 10th and running through September 25th. Since its inception, "Unplugged At the Grove” has become one of Austin’s most eagerly anticipated annual musical traditions, having presented some of Texas’ and the country’s most acclaimed musicians, including Shawn Colvin, Dave Alvin, Joe Ely, the Dixie Chicks, Nickel Creek, Guy Clark, Jim Lauderdale and scores of others.
Shady Grove is the home of great outdoor dining, nestled under the shade of a tall pecan grove, just minutes from downtown, modeled after State parks from the 1940s, and specializing in Texas cuisine.
May 1-May 25 Shakespeare Under the Stars
Sheffield Hillside Theatre at Zilker Park
512-450-4395
www.austinshakespeare.org
Austin Shakespeare presents "Much Ado About Nothing" during the 2008 season of Shakespeare Under the Stars, performed at Zilker Park's Sheffield Hillside Theatre.
Performances are Thursdays -Sunday at 8 p.m.
A special Mother's Day Matinee will be held on May 11 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are free.
May 2 Live From the Plaza
12:00 PM
Austin City Hall's outdoor plaza, 301 W. Second St.
Vincent Kitch
512-974-9310
www.cityofaustin.org/music/live.htm
Each Friday, the Live Music Capital of the World invites you to relax outside City Hall and listen to live performances from local artists. Near the shores of Town Lake, City Hall's free concert series provides a nice afternoon in the city for visitors and residents alike.
May 2 “The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley” at The Long Center
7:30 PM
Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Drive
512-474-LONG (5664)
www.TheLongCenter.org
Children’s literary favorite Flat Stanley comes to life on stage in The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley, presented by Freescale.
Parents and children will embark on a fascinating journey across the world as Stanley is accidentally flattened and mailed around the world where he learns about different cultures and searches for a way to become a three-dimensional boy once more.
Join us before the show for milk and cookies and a surprise toy, generously provided by Whataburger, from 6-7:30 p.m. on the Long Center’s City Terrace. (Reserved for ticket patrons only.)
Tickets are $14-$17 and are available online or by phone.
May 2 Leo Kottke
8:00 PM
Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Avenue
866-4GET-TIX
www.theparamount.org
Celebrate over 25 years of Leo at the Paramount!
This acoustic guitarist is widely known for his idiosyncratic fingerpicking style, which draws on blues, jazz and folk music influences, and his syncopated, polyphonic melodies.
Special guest Georgia Middleman will perform as well.
Tickets are $31.50-$41.50 and are available online.
May 2 Hot Science - Cool Talks Lecture Series:
5:45 PM - 8:15 PM
Welch Hall, 2.224, 24th Street & Speedway
Brian Zavala
(512) 471-4974
http://www.esi.utexas.edu/outreach/ols/lectures/Gulick/
How did the extinction of dinosaurs really happen?
The theory explaining the extinction of 70 percent of life on Earth 65 million years ago may need to be modified with new findings of detailed three-dimensional seismic images of the Chicxulub crater, a mostly submerged and buried impact crater on the Mexico coast.
Dr. Gulick will discuss the theory, evidence, and future of the crater.
Activities for all ages from 5:45 - 7 p.m. and lecture from 7 - 8:15 p.m.
May 2 Tiny Brigades Art Show
7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Opera House, 2209 South 1st St.
leah.theoperahouse@gmail.com
512-440-1401
www.theoperahousestore.com
They will come in droves from near and far with tiny artworks to display.
Please join The Opera House on May 2 for their 4th annual Tiny Brigades art show!
This is an open call art show that anyone can enter. People can even submit artwork the day of the show (entry fee only $5)! The only requirement is the artwork must be "tiny," all mediums accepted. This is also a contest show with 4 lucky prize winners!
The opening will host a bevy of local performers all doing tiny sets (5 minutes or less) including: Dromez, Eric Ragsdale, Gary Barftits, Amanda Jones, Lu-lu Laroy and many more!
To participate please contact The Opera House at 512-440-1401 or leah.theoperahouse@gmail.com.
May 2 Holocaust Remembrance: Reading of the names
7:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Texas State Capitol, 11th and Congress Ave.
512-795-9937 ext. 19
www.shalomaustin.org
Reading of the names of those who perished in the Holocaust.
The entire community is invited to participate in reading names throughout the day. Participants may choose to read in silence and out loud, independently and as a group.
May 3 Austin Farmers' Market
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Republic Square (4th and Guadalupe)
512-236-0074
www.austinfarmersmarket.org
The Austin Farmers' Market (AFM), a growers-only market, is an exciting and bountiful place to buy your fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, eggs and plants. When you shop at the AFM, you get the freshest, most delicious foods available from the growers themselves! There are plentiful prepared foods, farm products turned into jams, salsas and honey, and hand-made crafts. Chef's demos, children's activities, and live local musicians make supporting local growers fun!
May 3 Knitting Circle at the Faulk Central Library
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Faulk Central Library, 800 Guadalupe
Patricia Fraga
512-974-7400
www.ci.austin.tx.us/library/news/nr20070817.htm
If you knit with needles or looms, crochet, or cross stitch you are welcome to participate in the Faulk Central Library's knitting circle. The goal of this group is to make friends, learn from each other and enjoy an hour sharing your projects and ideas.
The group meets for an hour every Friday at the event area of the Faulk Central Library on the second floor.
This is a brown bag program.
May 3 Giant Chess in Wooldridge Square
12:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Wooldridge Square - 9th and Guadalupe
www.giantchess.org
The battle rages every Saturday from about 12:30 to 3:30. There's no telling who'll show up -- sometimes the players are new to the game, sometimes they're advanced, usually they're in-between -- so every game is an adventure.
Join in on the fun at one of downtown Austin's beautiful historic squares named after Alexander P. Wooldridge who served as Mayor of Austin from 1909 to 1919. Over the years, the park has been the setting for countless speeches, rallies, concerts, festivals, weddings, and chess matches.
May 3 Flamingo-a-Go-Go
7:00 PM - 12:00 AM
AMLI Downtown, 201 Lavaca
512-452-9010
www.flamingoagogo.com
Let's face it: Everyone who's anyone on the "Planet" will drop in to Flamingo-a-Go-Go to mingle with celebrities, experience ultra premium spirits from SKYY Spirits, dance to the hottest DJ in Austin, hear live tunes from local superstars and taste the finest food Austin's restaurants have to offer. All this included in your ticket!
If you attend only one pink-flamingo-themed party this year, make it Flamingo-a-Go-Go!
This event is Planet Cancer's largest fundraiser which benefits people in their 20s and 30s with cancer. This year, there will be dance-till-you-drop music on a downtown rooftop, Austin's best food and spirits, and the Who's Who of Austin to meet.
Tickets are $75 per person or $125 per couple and are available online at flamingoagogo.com.
May 3 Free Stones Concert to celebrate Shine a Light: The IMAX Experience
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701
512-936-8746
www.thestoryoftexas.com
Get yer ya yas out with a free Stones concert as you get ready for the giant screen concert experience of Shine a Light: The IMAX Experience.
Enjoy a free concert in the Lone Star Plaza of The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum to hear The Stone Ravers, a Stones tribute band from right here in Austin.
Then check out Mick and the boys in a 7:20 performance of Shine a Light: The IMAX Experience in the IMAX Theatre.
Free for concert, regular admission applies for the film.
May 3 Theatre of Illusion
Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Avenue
866-4GET-TIX
www.theparamount.org
Things aren’t always what they seem, especially when the magic of illusion is involved.
Master magicians Kevin and Cindy Spencer, will bring their cutting-edge illusions, choreography, comedy, scenery, lighting and music to the stage in the tradition of Houdini and Blackstone.
Performances are at 4 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $24.50 - $46.50 and are available online.
May 3 Free Skin Cancer Screening
8:00 AM
University Medical Center at Brackenridge Hospital, 601 W. 15th
512-324-3073
www.austin.tx.us
Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers. When detected early and treated properly, even melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer is curable.
Screening exams will be conducted by local dermatologists.
May 3 "The Music of Led Zepplin" at the Long Center
8:00 PM
701 W. Riverside Drive Austin, TX 78704
512.474.LONG (5664)
http://www.TheLongCenter.org
Bridging the gulf between rock n’ roll and classical music, a live orchestra performs The Music of Led Zeppelin.
Amplified by a full rock band and accompanied by singer Glen DeLaune screaming vocals, creator Brent Havens conducts the ensemble as they capture Led Zeppelin’s “sheer blast and power,” riff for riff while churning out new musical colors. The performance will be held in the Michael & Susan Dell Hall and tickets are $35.30-$55.50
May 3-May 4 Old Pecan Street Spring Arts Festival
East Sixth Street
512-443-6179
www.oldpecanstreetfestival.com
Hundreds of arts vendors take over historic Pecan Street, now known as Sixth Street. Live music, food, dance lessons, theatre and multicultural performances make this craft fair exciting for the entire family.
May 4 Pottery Confidential - Pyromania!
2:00 PM
Authenticity Gallery, 910 Congress
512-478-2787
www.authenticitygallery.com
Nationally known potters share why and how they fire their pots and why they do the things they do.
The free event is presented by Friends of Art of the Pot to educate the community about fine studio pottery and the artists who create it.
Immediately following is the opening of the Art of the Pot Reunion Exhibition and Sale.
May 4 TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls Cherry Bombs vs. Holy Rollers
7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Austin Convention Center, 500 East Cesar Chavez Street
Sally Pike
512-699-5623
www.txrd.com
Rad vs. Plaid!
Get ready for the most anticipated bout of the season as the defending Calvello Cup Champion Holy Rollers take on the machine of utter destruction known as the Cherry Bombs.
Both these teams are undefeated so far, and many of our fans have predicted that this match-up will be repeated in the 2008 Calvello Cup.
Will the Holy Rollers keep their undefeated streak, or will the Cherry Bombs give the Rollers a proper smack-down?
Tickets are $13 in advance or $15 at the door.
May 4 Mamapalooza Celebration of Austin's Creative Mother
1:00 PM
Symphony Square, 1101 Red River
512-471-8954
http://www.janseides.com/MamapaloozaInAustin.html
A family event celebrating mothers in the arts, MAMAPALOOZA will showcase local artists, vendors and performers, including singer-songwriters Sarah Hickman, Idgy Vaughn and Barbara Kooyman and many others.
Event proceeds will go to the Tandem Teen Prenatal & Parenting Program of People's Community Clinic, which serves the medical, educational, and psychosocial needs of pregnant and parenting teens and works to reduce the risk of subsequent unplanned pregnancies in Central Texas.
Designed to empower women through cooperative performance and merchandising opportunities, MAMAPALOOZA represents an international grass roots movement of musicians, performers, artists, comics, writers, craftspeople and athletes.
Tickets are $5 ages 13 and older, $2.50 ages 5-12 and children under 4 are free.
May 4 “Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano” at The Long Center
7:00 PM
Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Drive
512-474-LONG
www.TheLongCenter.org
Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano has existed for nearly 43 years and is noted for demanding musical arrangements that highlight the individual skills and voices of the players.
The Long Center will celebrate Cinco de Mayo in a very special fiesta on the City Terrace culminating with a performance by Mariachi Los Camperos.
The Grammy-winning ensemble employs the finest musicians from Mexico and the United States and was one of four mariachis that collaborated with popular recording artist Linda Ronstadt on her album’s Canciones de Mi Padre and Mas Canciones. The performance will be held in the Michael & Susan Dell Hall and tickets are $25-$35.
May 4 Perros de Mayo
1:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Ginger Man, 304 W. 4th Street
512-473-8801
www.bluedogrescue.com
Perros de Mayo is a fundraiser to benefit Blue Dog Rescue.
Enjoy live music from Terri Hendrix with Lloyd Maines, Graham Wilkinson, Hilary York, Susan Gibson, Sally Allen and more. In addition, there will be beer, food, a raffle and silent auction.
All proceeds go directly to the dogs of Blue Dog Rescue
May 5 Free Comic Book Day at AustinPublicLibrary
Austin Public Library
Patricia Fraga
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/library/news/nr20080422fcbd.htm
Saturday, May 3 is Free Comic Book Day, a day when comic book specialty shops and libraries across North America give away free comic books.
Help us celebrate this special day by visiting the Library’s partner, Austin Books and Comics, 5002 North Lamar Blvd., and pick up a free comic book.
If you can’t make it to Austin Books and Comics on May 3, drop by your local Austin Public Library on Monday, May 5 and pick up a free comic book.
While you are picking up a free comic, be sure and check out the Library’s graphic novel sections for adults (call number: GN), teens (call number: GNY), and children (call number: GNJ).
May 5 Guy Clark, Joe Ely, John Hiatt & Lyle Lovett
8:00 PM
Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Avenue
866-4GET-TIX
www.theparamount.org
The Mount Rushmore of American songwriters and musicians gather for what is sure to be one of the hottest shows of the year.
Music legends Guy Clark, Joe Ely, John Hiatt and Lyle Lovett will perform together for two nights at the Paramount Theatre
Tickets are $41.50 - $102.50 and are available online.
May 5 Street Closings: American Public Transportation Association Annual Conference
From 5 a.m. until 5 p.m., Trinity Street will be closed between E. 2nd Street and E. 4th Street for a display of buses in conjunction with the conference.
May 5-May 31 Painting the Town: Austin Originals
Art on 5th, 1501 W. 5th St.
Jodi Brauner
512-481-1111
www.arton5th.com
Remember what makes Austin unique by celebrating its past and experiencing the changes shaping its future!
The featured artists in “Painting the Town: Austin Originals” include local landscape and cityspace artists Ethan Azarian, Paul Stankiewicz, Linda Dumont, Zita Raymond, John Hopkins, Dan Burns and up-and-coming figurative artist Anna Bleker.
The variety of techniques range from palette knife to pastel to acrylic and oil and the variety of styles is even broader, with Linda Dumont creating her signature bold and bright cityscapes, Paul Stankiewicz painting layers of Austin life and Anna Bleker’s contemplative figures.
May 6 Guy Clark, Joe Ely, John Hiatt & Lyle Lovett
8:00 PM
Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Avenue
866-4GET-TIX
www.theparamount.org
The Mount Rushmore of American songwriters and musicians gather for what is sure to be one of the hottest shows of the year.
Music legends Guy Clark, Joe Ely, John Hiatt and Lyle Lovett will perform together for two nights at the Paramount Theatre
Tickets are $41.50 - $102.50 and are available online.
May 6-May 29 Live Music at Z Tejas
6:00 PM
Z Tejas, 1110 W. 6th Street
Lauren Churchin
512-478-5355
www.ztejas.com/z-tejas-6-street.html
Enjoy live music at Z Tejas every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6 to 10 p.m.
Enjoy Kris Kimura Quartet each Tuesday and on Wednesdays a performance by Will Sexton, Stephen Doster and Bill Carter.
Each Thursday in May, listen to a different band at Z Tejas:
May 8: Acoustic Jungle
May 15: Brewer Nation
May 22: Tres
May 29: Lucky Strikes
May 7 Poetry on the Plaza
12:00 PM
The Ransom Center, 21st and Guadalupe Streets
512-471-8944
www.hrc.utexas.edu
The Ransom Center's Poetry on the Plaza series presents an outdoor reading of Lost and Found.
May 8 KGSR's Unplugged at the Grove: Band of Heathens
7:00 PM
Shady Grove, 1624 Barton Springs Road
512-474-9991
www.theshadygrove.com
Band of Heathens and Josh Grider will play at the 2008 season of KGSR's Unplugged at the Grove series.
Join us every Thursday night, for a free show starting at 8 p.m.! Enjoy great food and beverages ($2.00 Zeigenbocks and $3.00 pints of Bud Light). Get there early for a good parking spot - put a KGSR sticker on your car for KGSR CD Singles.
The outdoor, all-ages music series runs each Thursday at 8 p.m. starting April 10th and running through September 25th. Since its inception, "Unplugged At the Grove” has become one of Austin’s most eagerly anticipated annual musical traditions, having presented some of Texas’ and the country’s most acclaimed musicians, including Shawn Colvin, Dave Alvin, Joe Ely, the Dixie Chicks, Nickel Creek, Guy Clark, Jim Lauderdale and scores of others.
Shady Grove is the home of great outdoor dining, nestled under the shade of a tall pecan grove, just minutes from downtown, modeled after State parks from the 1940s, and specializing in Texas cuisine.
May 8-Jun 13 Finalists Entries Exhibited from Temporary Outdoor Gallery Space (TOGS) Ideas Competition
Austin Center for Architecture, 801 W. 12th Street
sara@aiaaustin.org
512-452-4332
www.artallianceaustin.org/aia_togs_competition.html
AIA Austin and Art Alliance Austin will enter into the next phase of a unique partnership that began in the summer of 2007: they will host a special viewing event for an exhibition of concepts for a ‘Temporary Outdoor Gallery Space’ (or TOGS) – one of which will be constructed for Art City Austin 09 (April 25-26, 2009).
Throughout the run of the exhibition, 44 of the submitted concepts will be available for viewing at The Gallery at Austin Center for Architecture, including the top three prizewinners, 12 honorable mentions, and 29 other designs that were submitted. Featured will be the design of The Grand Prize ($1,000) winning team of Amy Wynne and Mark Leveno from Los Angeles, California.
Also on view will be Second Prize winning concept by Toshihiro Kimura and Masaki Kanno of Yoyogi, Tokyo, Third Prize winning design of Peter Lingamfelter and Taylor Medlin of Berkeley, California, and concepts from twelve finalists from Chicago, IL; Brooklyn, NY; Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Highland Village, TX; New Haven, CT; Arlington, TX; Oschatz, Germany; New Providence, NJ; League City, TX; Nantes, France; Dallas, TX; and the team of Jay Colombo and Micah Land from Austin, TX. On view during the Special Viewing event only, will be all 140+ boards submitted.
Gallery Hours: Mon – Thu 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., Friday 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Special Viewing Event: May 8 from 6 – 8 p.m. RSVP for special viewing event at sara@aiaaustin.org.
May 9 Live From the Plaza
12:00 PM
Austin City Hall's outdoor plaza, 301 W. Second St.
Vincent Kitch
512-974-9310
www.cityofaustin.org/music/live.htm
Each Friday, the Live Music Capital of the World invites you to relax outside City Hall and listen to live performances from local artists. Near the shores of Town Lake, City Hall's free concert series provides a nice afternoon in the city for visitors and residents alike.
May 9 Intergalactic Nemisis
8:00 PM
Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Avenue
866-4GET-TIX
www.austintheatre.org
It’s Star Wars meets Raiders of the Lost Ark with a little of The Incredibles thrown in for good measure. And it’s a rollicking good time.
For audiences from nine to 90, your imagination will be captured by the marvelous live sound effects as you are swept away by the waves of fun!
Tickets are $19-$41.50 and are available online.
May 9-May 10 School House Rock Live!
Long Center, 701 W. Riverside
512-457-5100
www.thelongcenter.org
TexARTS Association presents a TexARTS Musical Theater Academy production of \"Schoolhouse Rock Live!\" the junior version, performed by students of the TexARTS Academy.
The production incorporates the favorite educational tunes from the beloved television cartoon series of the 1970\'s, including \"Just A Bill, \"\"Conjunction Junction,\" \"Interplanet Janet\" and more. This is a perfect show for youngsters and the young of heart!
Tickets are $11-$14 and are available by phone or online.
Showtimes are May 9 at 7:30 p.m. and May 10 at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m.
May 9-May 11 Ballet Austin presents Don Quixote
Long Center, 701 W. Riverside
1-866-443-8849
www.balletaustin.org
To dream the impossible dream… The grand story of the adventurous dreamer from La Mancha soars onto the stage with the pageantry and flare worthy of Ballet Austin's long-awaited inaugural performance at the Long Center.
First performed for royalty in 1869 by the “Father of classical ballet,” Marius Petipa, the exquisite sets and costumes heighten the excitement humor and beauty of this historic ballet.
Perfect for Mother’s Day weekend. We’re not just “tilting at windmills”...Join us as the dream of the Long Center…. is realized!
Tickets are $25-$75 and are available online. Performance times are 8 p.m. on May 9 and 10 and 3 p.m. on May 11.
May 10 Austin Farmers' Market
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Republic Square (4th and Guadalupe)
512-236-0074
www.austinfarmersmarket.org
The Austin Farmers' Market (AFM), a growers-only market, is an exciting and bountiful place to buy your fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, eggs and plants. When you shop at the AFM, you get the freshest, most delicious foods available from the growers themselves! There are plentiful prepared foods, farm products turned into jams, salsas and honey, and hand-made crafts. Chef's demos, children's activities, and live local musicians make supporting local growers fun!
May 10 Giant Chess in Wooldridge Square
12:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Wooldridge Square - 9th and Guadalupe
www.giantchess.org
The battle rages every Saturday from about 12:30 to 3:30. There's no telling who'll show up -- sometimes the players are new to the game, sometimes they're advanced, usually they're in-between -- so every game is an adventure.
Join in on the fun at one of downtown Austin's beautiful historic squares named after Alexander P. Wooldridge who served as Mayor of Austin from 1909 to 1919. Over the years, the park has been the setting for countless speeches, rallies, concerts, festivals, weddings, and chess matches.
May 10 Movies in the Park: Best in Show
7:30 PM
Republic Square (4th and Guadalupe)
512-477-1566
www.austinparks.org/moviesinthepark.html
This free event will be a dog extravaganza! Bring your pooch or fall in love with a pound-pup from the rescue groups attending.
This wildly funny film by Christopher Guest is sure to entertain. It is rated PG-13.
Amusing pre-show antics start at 7:30 pm and movies start at dusk. Arrive early and have a picnic!
Republic Square Park is located at 5th and Guadalupe St. There is free parking on surrounding streets.
Dogs, picnics, and lawn chairs are welcome. Alcoholic beverages are not permitted in the park. Refreshments will be available for purchase from Dog Almighty (hot dogs, veggie dogs, chili, popcorn and drinks), Maine Root (locally brewed root beer) and Lifeworks Ben and Jerry's (mmmm, ice cream).
May 10 Second Saturdays are for Families
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Austin Museum of Art - Downtown, 823 Congress Ave.
512-495-9224
www.amoa.org
ARTventures in Puppet Making
Little Hands, BIG Puppets. Visit New Art in Austin: 20 to Watch and see how artists use everyday materials in new, exciting ways to create unique works of art.
After spending time in the exhibition, stop by our Community Room to construct a puppet out of recycled, everyday materials and make your own new art!
And that’s not all -- guest puppet artists will be around to teach you how to “talk” with your puppet when you are finished!
May 10 Bon Gout: Glory of the French Baroque
8:00 PM
St. Mary Catholic Church, 203 E. 10th
512-342-2785
www.lafollia.org
Acclaimed Austin soprano Jenifer Thyssen joins La Follia in a concert of French Baroque music. "Bon gout," meaning good taste, was coined by the French to express their ideal of beauty, in this case music that flatters the ear with elegance, sensuality, irony, and charm.
La Follia performs quintessentially French works by Lully, Francois Couperin, Marais and Clerambault. Of special note is the exquisite "La Francoise" by Francois Couperin, as well as masterpiece "Leandre et Hero" by Louis-Nicolas Clerambault. Presented in partnership with the Musica Ecclesiae Concert Series of the Cathedral of St. Mary.
Tickets are $18 for general admission or $15 for student and seniors.
May 10 Willie Nelson: An Epic Life signing
2:00 PM
The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum Store, 1800 N. Congress Ave.
512-936-4639
www.TheStoryofTexas.com
Explore the life of a true Texas legend as Willie Nelson's 75th birthday celebration is capped with the release of a new biography on the "Red Headed Stranger."
Meet author Joe Nick Patoski as he signs copies of his acclaimed biography Willie Nelson: An Epic Life.
May 10 Mothers Day Arts and Antiques Fair
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Whit Hanks, 1009 W. 6th St.
Lauren Johnson
512-478-9448
www.HemisphereAustin.com
The Arts and Antiques Fair will feature festive tents filled with furniture, decorative items, art, lighting, garden pieces and other home accessories from many of Austin’s most prestigious galleries.
Participating galleries include Hemisphere by Whit Hanks, Pat Monroe Antiques, Jean-Marc Fray French Antiques, JEI Design Collection, House of Lamps and Antiques, Fancy Finds, David Alan Rugs, Shabby Slips, JB Art and Designs, Austin Galleries, Howl Interiors, Kathryn Goodnight Art and Antiques, Zanzibar Home and Gift, Lotus Gallery and Twenty Three 07.
In addition, shoppers will enjoy live music and refreshments from Ben and Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream and Seattle’s Best Coffee.
May 10 March of Dimes March for Babies
10:00 AM
Auditorium Shores-Riverside & South First St.
512-477-3221
http://www.marchforbabies.org
The March of Dimes renamed its premier fundraising event from WalkAmerica to March for Babies. Join us for our annual walk and stay after for food, music and company all for a great cause!
Babies and children are welcome.
May 10 Longhorn Rail Jam
6th Street and Trinity
www.texaswakeboardtour.com
The Longhorn Rail Jam is FREE to the public and will take place on Saturday night, May 10th on 6th Street (at Trinity). The rail jam set-up will include three portable pools filled with over 50,000 gallons of water and separated by a forty foot rail and a big air kicker.
The wakeboarders and wakeskaters will all be competing for over $3000 in cash and prizes. New to this year’s will be live music from Austin, TX. reggae/rock favorites, Eleven Fingered Charlie.
May 10 Lance Armstrong's Mellow Johnny's Grand Opening
Mellow Johnny's, 400 Nueces
www.mellowjohnnys.com
Seven-time Tour de France champ Lance Armstrong will host a grand opening of his new bike shop, Mellow Johnny's.
The event will include appearances by Oakley’s R&D demo trailer, Trek’s complete line of demonstration bikes, and book signings and appearances throughout the day by Chris Carmichael, Michael Ward, Gary Fisher and Armstrong himself.
Armstrong hopes his shop will spur an urban movement where people come to see biking as not only a means of fitness, but a viable transportation option as well.
”It’s more than a place to buy a bike," Armstrong said. "I want it to be a place where cyclists of all levels come in and are encouraged, inspired, and motivated to make cycling a daily part of life. And of course—a place where racers and enthusiasts can get the best equipment, service, and know-how to go faster—or farther—on their bikes.”
May 10 Ralphie May
8:00 PM
Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Avenue
866-4GET-TIX
www.austintheatre.org
Comedian Ralphie May will bring his act to Austin when he films a one-hour Comedy Central special at the Paramount Theatre.
Ralphie's popularity exploded after the success of NBC’s hit reality series, Last Comic Standing, when America thought he was robbed of the winner’s title during the first season. But, coming in second place has not stopped him from becoming one of the most recognizable comedians in the country.
Ralphie’s second CD and DVD titled Girth of a Nation, produced by Jack Records and Warner Bros. Records, was recently shot in Knoxville, TN and released on November 7, 2006. His first DVD, Just Correct, released in 2004 by Melee Entertainment, a division of Dreamworks, has reached platinum sales status.
Tickets are $31-$34 and are available online.
May 13 DAA Transportation Breakfast
8:00 AM
St. David's Episcopal Church, 304 East 7th Street in Sumner's Hall
512-469-1766 x211
www.ci.austin.tx.us/downtown/dap_urban_rail.htm
The Downtown Austin Alliance invites you to join City of Austin staff and members of the ROMA Design team as they present details of the proposal for inclusion of a rail-based circulator/connector in the Downtown Austin Plan.
You can view and download ROMA's 4/22/08 Town Hall Meeting presentation on urban rail at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/downtown/dap_urban_rail.htm
As proposed, the circulator would connect Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Downtown, the Capitol complex, and the Mueller redevelopment site. The line could be extended to other areas in future phases.
It is very important that the City receives feedback from the community as they and the consultants work to finalize this proposal. We strongly urge you to attend this event to learn more about the proposed plan and provide input as we reach this critical juncture in Austin's transportation future.
The event will be held at St. David's Episcopal Church, 304 East 7th Street in Sumner's Hall, 3rd Floor. Check-in and light breakfast served at 7:40. We encourage our guests to walk or take advantage of Capital Metro services. For those who need to drive, parking will be available at the Southwest Tower parking garage located 211 East 7th Street.
Please RSVP via email to rsvp@downtownaustin.com or call 512-469-1766 x211 by Monday, May 12 by 5 p.m.
May 14 AFS Documentary Tour: UT Documentary Showcase
7:00 PM
Alamo Ritz, 320 E. 6th Street
512-322-0145
www.austinfilm.org/film/ut_documentary_showcase
Under the guidance of world-renowned filmmakers and professors like Paul Stekler, Ellen Spiro and Nancy Schieri, UT Austin has served as an incubator for a host of new documentary talent. The show is as follows:
LA VOIE DU NORD -- THE WAY NORTH
Directed by Shara Lange (USA, 2007, 60 min.) -- From Marseilles come the stories of Fatima and the women in her community of North African immigrants making new lives for themselves and their families in tense, complex, contemporary France.
ROAD TO TLACOTEPEC
Directed by Berndt Mader (USA, 2007, 37 min) – After the death of photographer Bob Mader in 2005, his son decided to deal with his grief by finishing his father’s last roll of film in the small Mexican village of Tlacotepec – a town his father had visited and photographed 40 years before. On his journey to this obscure Mexican village, Berndt is diverted to Belize where his sister has run into legal trouble in her adoption of a Mayan baby. After this detour and other misadventures, Berndt finally makes it to Tlacotepec, where he discovers possible connections to the past and answers to the questions of his own memory.
GIRLS OF DON BOSCO
Directed by Kendra Dorty (USA, 2007, 30 min.) –a short documentary highlighting the lives of a group of girls living in an orphanage in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico as they interact with each other, the Madres who oversee their care, and the volunteers that give their time at Casa Hogar and as they express their aspirations to grow far beyond the orphanage walls.
Filmmakers in attendance for Q&A after the show.
$4 for AFS members / $6 for the general public
May 15 KGSR's Unplugged at the Grove: Ray Wylie Hubbard
7:00 PM
Shady Grove, 1624 Barton Springs Road
512-474-9991
www.theshadygrove.com
Ray Wylie Hubbard and Liz And Lincoln play during the 2008 season of KGSR's Unplugged at the Grove.
Join us every Thursday night, for a free show starting at 8 p.m.! Enjoy great food and beverages ($2.00 Zeigenbocks and $3.00 pints of Bud Light). Get there early for a good parking spot - put a KGSR sticker on your car for KGSR CD Singles.
The outdoor, all-ages music series runs each Thursday at 8 p.m. starting April 10th and running through September 25th. Since its inception, "Unplugged At the Grove” has become one of Austin’s most eagerly anticipated annual musical traditions, having presented some of Texas’ and the country’s most acclaimed musicians, including Shawn Colvin, Dave Alvin, Joe Ely, the Dixie Chicks, Nickel Creek, Guy Clark, Jim Lauderdale and scores of others.
Shady Grove is the home of great outdoor dining, nestled under the shade of a tall pecan grove, just minutes from downtown, modeled after State parks from the 1940s, and specializing in Texas cuisine.
May 15 MODA-VINO GRAND Event Featuring Fashion and Wine
7:30 PM
Pangaea, 409 Colorado St., Austin
Chuck Haidet
512-472-8882
www.keepersclothing.com/modavino/
Culmination of the Italian Trade Commission\'s weeklong MODA-VINO celebration of the country\'s premium fashion and wines in Austin will be a grand event held in the city\'s Warehouse District featuring a runway fashion show and after-party.
The MODA-VINO GRAND EVENT will also have a tasting of fine Italian wines and hors d\'oeuvres followed by the hour-long fashion show of Ermenegildo Zegna and other designers from Keepers men\'s clothing, plus Versace at 9.
Tickets are $60 for general admission tickets and $100 for couples and are available at 512-472-8882.
Tickets for the after-party from 10 p.m. to midnight, with a local artist live-sketching, special drinks and house music by one of Pangaea\'s celebrated DJs, are $20.
A silent auction of artwork depicting Italian landscapes, architecture, culture, cuisine and more donated by local artists and displayed during MODA-VINO week will be held 8-9:30 during the Grand Event.
Proceeds from Grand Event ticket sales and the art auction will be presented to Heart House Austin to benefit its innovative, free after-school program dedicated to providing a safe haven and academic support to low-income children and encouraging them to become good citizens.
\"As a small nonprofit, Heart House depends on contributions from supporters and gracious sponsors of the community whose philanthropy impacts the lives of so many children and working families,\" says Anna Land, Heart House founder. \"We are truly honored to be chosen by Keepers as its MODA-VINO beneficiary.\"
For more information, visit www.hearthouse.org
Grand Event emcee will be Kevin Conner, vice president for programming for Austin\'s ME Television and a DJ on 90.5 KUT-FM. Italian wines such as a 2006 Capasoldo Pinot Grigio from Veneto will be provided by Cork and Co., and Italian hors d\'oeuvres served by students in the Austin Community College Hospitality Management Department. The sleek, powerful Italian looks of championship- and award-winning Ducati motorcycles will be showcased.
Keepers men\'s clothing, which opened in Austin in 1995 and opened its downtown flagship store in 2005, has been acknowledged by the Italian Trade Commission several times over the years for its promotion of the high quality, exceptional value, creative design and world-renowned craftsmanship of Italian-made clothing, leather goods and accessories.
May 16 Live From the Plaza
12:00 PM
Austin City Hall's outdoor plaza, 301 W. Second St.
Vincent Kitch
512-974-9310
www.cityofaustin.org/music/live.htm
Each Friday, the Live Music Capital of the World invites you to relax outside City Hall and listen to live performances from local artists. Near the shores of Town Lake, City Hall's free concert series provides a nice afternoon in the city for visitors and residents alike.
May 17 O Henry Pun Off
Brush Square, 409 E. 5th St.
512-472-1903
www.punpunpun.com
The Pun Off World Championships hit O Henry's hometown of Austin. Contestants compete to win one of two different titles: "Punniest of Show" and "Punslinger."
As one of Austin's oldest public events, the competition is open to anyone wishing to cheer on the punny competitors.
May 17 Bulldog Miracle Mile
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Congress Avenue
Jitin Hingorani
512-329-8635
www.miraclefoundation.org
The Miracle Foundation, in partnership with RunTex and Sherry Matthews Advocacy Marketing, encourages you to sign up for the "shortest race ever."
The walk/run begins at the State Capitol and ends on the south side of the Congress Avenue Bridge. It is a very kid-friendly, pet-friendly walk/run, and all the money raised goes directly to the work the Miracle Foundation is doing to improve the standards of orphans living in India.
All who participate will receive a free t-shirt, running bib, cape and a goodie bag.
Post-event party hosted by Sherry Matthews Advocacy Marketing on the Congress Avenue Bridge with acitivities for children and free gelato (Italian ice cream) for all!
Registration price for adults is $20, for children $10 and for pets $5.
Registration is available online.
May 17 Mighty Texas Dog Walk
10:30 AM
Congress Avenue Bridge
www.servicedogs.org/dogwalk08/index.html
Austinites will try to break a world record for the most dogs walked in the 10th Annual Mighty Texas Dog Walk.
Thousands will turn out in hopes of beating the current record of 10,272 dogs.
All proceeds benefit the Texas Hearing and Service Dogs.
Registration is $25 in advance or $30 on-site per dog.
May 17 Congress Avenue Mile and Lone Star 5,000
8:00 AM
Congress Avenue
www.congressavenuemile.com
The 2008 Puma Congress Avenue Mile is one of Austin's longest standing running events. The Puma Congress Avenue Mile features walkers, joggers, fast runners and The Texas High School Elite Mile Challenge.
In addition to the 2nd Annual Lone Star 5000, May 17th will also feature the Mighty Texas Dog Walk. Sign up today for best pricing and come out for a great day of running.
The Lone Star 5,000 follows the same route as the Congress Mile, but continues for a 5K. The race will start on Congress Avenue near Town Lake, run up Congress Avenue around the Capitol area and return back down Congress for a fast last mile.
Registration is $25 or $30 during race week. To run in the Lone Star 5K as well, the price is an additional $10.
May 17 Paramount Theatre's 92nd & State Theatre's 72nd Anniversary Gala
6:00 PM - : PM
Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Avenue
Maica Jordan
512-472-5470
www.austintheatre.org
Legendary performer Kris Kristofferson, currently touring in support of his first studio album of new material in 11 years, will perform on the historic Paramount Theatre stage for the Paramount and State theatres’ Gala.
Local talent and rising star Idgy Vaughn will open for Kristofferson and Dynfunkshun Junkshun will play the post-party on Congress Avenue.
Paramount doors open at 6 p.m., show begins at 6:30 p.m. with live auction to follow. The tent officially opens at 8:45 p.m.
The annual Gala celebrates the birthdays of the Paramount and State theatres, which turn 92 and 72 years old, respectively, this year.
In what the organizers say will be the largest tented event ever on Congress Avenue, there will also be live and silent auctions, dinner, drinks and dancing. Funds raised will support the preservation of both theatres, which operate under the umbrella of the Austin Theatre Alliance.
For sponsorships and ticket information, go to www.austintheatre.org or contact Maica Jordan, development director, at 512-692-0519 or mjordan@austintheatre.org.
May 18 “Cherryholmes” at The Long Center for the Performing Arts
7:00 PM
Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Drive
The Long Center
512-474-LONG
www.TheLongCenter.org
In five short years, this high-energy, Nashville-based band was named Entertainers of the Year in 2005 by IBMA.
Making their Austin debut, Cherryholmes has many qualities that make them unique, but the basis of their success lies in plain, old-fashioned hard work combined with shining star talent that only appears to glow more brightly with each performance. The performance will be held in the Michael & Susan Dell Hall and tickets are $15-$25.
May 20 “3 Redneck Tenors” at The Long Center
8:00 PM
Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Drive
The Long Center
512-474-LONG
www.TheLongCenter.org
In the melodic wake of the three operatic tenors comes a new breed of tenors from more humble origins - 3 Redneck Tenors - A New Musical Adventure.
The musical comedy featuring classically trained veteran artists from Broadway and world opera stages is like Greater Tuna meets Das Barbecu - down home laughs with big city music!
May 22 The Forum at St. David's
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
301 E. 2nd St.
Barbara Grove
512-472-1196
www.stdave.org
The Long Road to The Long Center: Creating a Home for the Arts and Artists in Austin.
Engaging speakers Peter Bay, renowned Music Director of The Austin Symphony Orchestra, and Dwayne Cooper, Director of Finance for The Long Center, will share their adventures in working to make the Center a reality and give us a glimpse of the future.
Lunch is served in Crail Hall beginning at 11:45 p.m.. The cost is $8. Parking is free in St. David's Parking Garage.
The Forum is open to members of St. David's Episcopal Church (7th and San Jacinto), friends and the downtown community.
We need your reservations by May 20. Call Susie at 472-1196 or use our website at www.stdave.org.
May 22 KGSR's Unplugged at the Grove: The Derailers
8:00 PM
Shady Grove, 1624 Barton Springs Road
512-474-9991
www.theshadygrove.com
The Derailers play during the 2008 season of KGSR's Unplugged at the Grove.
Join us every Thursday night, for a free show starting at 8 p.m.! Enjoy great food and beverages ($2.00 Zeigenbocks and $3.00 pints of Bud Light). Get there early for a good parking spot - put a KGSR sticker on your car for KGSR CD Singles.
The outdoor, all-ages music series runs each Thursday at 8 p.m. starting April 10th and running through September 25th. Since its inception, "Unplugged At the Grove” has become one of Austin’s most eagerly anticipated annual musical traditions, having presented some of Texas’ and the country’s most acclaimed musicians, including Shawn Colvin, Dave Alvin, Joe Ely, the Dixie Chicks, Nickel Creek, Guy Clark, Jim Lauderdale and scores of others.
Shady Grove is the home of great outdoor dining, nestled under the shade of a tall pecan grove, just minutes from downtown, modeled after State parks from the 1940s, and specializing in Texas cuisine.
May 23 Live From the Plaza
12:00 PM
Austin City Hall's outdoor plaza, 301 W. Second St.
Vincent Kitch
512-974-9310
www.cityofaustin.org/music/live.htm
Each Friday, the Live Music Capital of the World invites you to relax outside City Hall and listen to live performances from local artists. Near the shores of Town Lake, City Hall's free concert series provides a nice afternoon in the city for visitors and residents alike.
May 23 Evening Under the Oaks Concert with Rachel Lynn
8:00 PM
French Legation Museum, 802 San Marcos St., Austin, Texas 78702
Cullen Sartor
512-472-8180
www.frenchlegationmuseum.org
Rachel Lynn is playing once again at the French Legation Museum, so join her on a summer evening on the cool green grass under the cover of the historic oak trees for a compelling evening of acoustic Folk/ Rock music.
Blankets, chairs and picnics are encouraged and you may bring beverages of your choice.
Tickets are $3 per person. OUTDOOR EVENT. RAIN OR SHINE.
www.myspace.com/rachellynnmusic
May 29 Return to Forever
8:00 PM
Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Avenue
866-4GET-TIX
www.theparamount.org
Return to Forever, one of the most influential jazz groups of the 1970s, have long heard calls from their many fans for a reunion tour.
Now those calls have been answered with the classic lineup of keyboardist Chick Corea, bassist Stanley Clarke, guitarist Al Di Meola and drummer Lenny White reuniting to kick off their first tour together in more than 25 years at the Paramount Theatre.
Tickets are $41.50-$132.50 and are available online.
May 30 Live From the Plaza
12:00 PM
Austin City Hall's outdoor plaza, 301 W. Second St.
Vincent Kitch
512-974-9310
www.cityofaustin.org/music/live.htm
Each Friday, the Live Music Capital of the World invites you to relax outside City Hall and listen to live performances from local artists. Near the shores of Town Lake, City Hall's free concert series provides a nice afternoon in the city for visitors and residents alike.
May 30 Return to Forever
8:00 PM
Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Avenue
866-4GET-TIX
www.theparamount.org
Return to Forever, one of the most influential jazz groups of the 1970s, have long heard calls from their many fans for a reunion tour.
Now those calls have been answered with the classic lineup of keyboardist Chick Corea, bassist Stanley Clarke, guitarist Al Di Meola and drummer Lenny White reuniting to kick off their first tour together in more than 25 years at the Paramount Theatre.
Tickets are $41.50-$132.50 and are available online.
May 31 Adventure Quest
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
301 Congress Ave
Amy Ables
512-828-7455
www.aafame.affiniscape.com/cde.cfm?event=210844
The AAFAME Adventure Quest is an urban adventure race where teams of two complete various tasks and puzzles throughout downtown Austin.
Obstacles will include a rock climbing wall, stilt races, brain drains and more. Secret checkpoints will challenge participants to think on their feet.
Participants can register as a Competitive or Amateur team. Prizes for Competitive teams will be a $500 Adventure Quest Travel Certificate for 1st place; with various prize packages for 2nd and 3rd.
The 1st place Amateur Team will receive a $250 Adventure Quest Travel Package. This category is designed for families and other teams who might not be as competitive as typical race participants.
Entry fee for each participant is $50.
May 31-Sep 14 Dallas: Power and Passion on Primetime TV
Bob Bullock Texas History Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave.
512-936-8746
www.TheStoryofTexas.com
A wealthy Texas oil family, the Ewings, captured the imagination of the U.S. and the world through an unforgettable primetime saga.
Featuring larger-than-life characters like J.R., Miss Ellie and Sue Ellen, the groundbreaking television show Dallas grabbed the attention of millions of fans drawn to its dramatic stories of intrigue and betrayal, and left a lasting impact on the Texas identity at home and abroad.
Opening 30 years after the program first went on the air, the special exhibition Dallas: Power and Passion on Primetime TV will spotlight the show's enduring legacy by featuring props, artifacts loaned from actors ranging from Larry Hagman to Steve Kanaly, scripts, television clips and recreated environments from the program's fourteen seasons.
Visitors will also be treated to a fascinating short film that was produced by the Museum, Southfork Pilgrims, where visitors from around the world talk -- and sing -- about their favorite television show and why they are making the journey to a ranch in Plano, Texas. Admission to the Museum’s exhibits, including the special exhibition Dallas: Power and Passion on Primetime TV: $7 for adults, $6 for seniors, military and college students (with valid ID), $4 for youth ages 5-18 and free for ages 4 and under.
Sep 1-May 26 Bills, Bills, Bills: Lyndon Johnson as Senate Majority Leader
LBJ Library & Museum, 2313 Red River
512-471-0200
www.lbjlib.utexas.edu
In a new exhibit at the LBJ Library, visitors will get the opportunity to talk to Lyndon Johnson actually, they will step into a replica of the U. S. Senate Chamber and talk to an actor who looks, dresses, and talks like U.S. Senator Lyndon Johnson as he was in the 1950s. In the exhibit, Bills, Bills, Bills: Lyndon Johnson as Senate Majority Leader, visitors will see and engage with Johnson (actor Michael Stuart) as he stands on the Senate floor discussing such important legislation as the creation of NASA, Interstate Highway Bill, Labor Reform, Social Security Reform, and Statehood for Alaska and Hawaii. Under Johnson's leadership, the first Civil Rights Bill since Reconstruction was passed into law. Free Admission